


SasuHina Month Day Twelve || Angst

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: SasuHina Month 2019 [12]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Child Abuse, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 05:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20222338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: When tensions between the Uchiha matriarch and patriarch reach a boiling point, it's Hinata's mother that helps provide some relief for Sasuke, caught up in the storm.





	SasuHina Month Day Twelve || Angst

“_Get out!_”

Breath clipping and feet slipping, Sasuke wastes no time in obeying. Barefoot and dressed only in a t-shirt and shorts, he flies out the rear door in a blind panic. Behind him, he can still hear the crashing and yelling as his father flies into a rage. In spurts, his mother and brother speak up, attempting to calm him. Their voices get more desperate the more he disobeys.

Sasuke, however, doesn’t stick around to see how this ends. Having crashed in the rear garden as he made his flight, he struggles to regain his feet, fear giving him only one clear instruction:

Run.

It’s early evening, but the village is even darker as rain clouds blot out the sky and unleash torrents of water. The streets are practically empty as most seek shelter from the storm, or scurry to find it. But Sasuke doesn’t think about escaping the weather. The only thing he wants to leave behind right now is home. Tensions have been building between his parents for a while now...and this time, they’ve come to a head.

Part of him feels guilty for running. Like a coward. But Sasuke is scarcely five years old. A child, now caught in the middle of a family crisis. On one hand, his father’s strict and almost harsh regime for his sons. On the other, his mother attempting to waylay it as much as she can for their sakes: to give them at least some semblance of childhood. It started as a minor squabble one night a few months ago. But as time has gone on, and Fugaku’s expectations only grown, he and his wife had butted heads more and more often. She wants to protect her boys, and Fugaku wants to push them to the brink.

...after all...how can they lead a revolution unless his sons are at their peaks?

Much of this, of course, escapes Sasuke’s notice. It’s more Itachi that bears the brunt of the expectations and realizing what’s going on...and why.

But it’s Sasuke that fails in his father’s eyes...and thus gets punished.

Before tonight, he’d never laid a hand on him. There’s been yelling, of course...plenty of that. But when that hand struck across the boy’s face...it was the last straw. Sasuke had fled, his mother flying into a defensive rant that only stoked the patriarch’s temper into an inferno.

Who knows what will be left as ashes come morning…

Arms pumping and breath wheezing, Sasuke just...flees. He doesn’t even know where he’s going, doesn’t know where he _can_ go. It’s not until he nearly crashes into someone that he comes to a stop.

“Oh! Easy there, Uchiha-kun...are you all right?”

Struggling for a moment, he looks up to see a soft face and pale eyes. Holding an umbrella, a woman peers down at him, brow furrowed in worry.

“You’re soaked…! Poor thing...what are you doing out here in this...weather…?” Looking a bit closer, she recognizes him: Mikoto’s younger son, Sasuke. And...is that…?

All at once, Hyūga Hanako reaches several conclusions...and her jaw sets. Still...she doesn’t want to frighten him further. “...here. Why don’t we go sit down, all right? You’re so out of breath, little one! Why don’t we go back to my house, and we’ll get you dried off.” Keeping him at her side, she guides him back to the Hyūga compound and into the main house. “Do you want some tea, dear?”

Sniffling, Sasuke shakes his head. “N...no…”

Hanako watches him thoughtfully. “...well, let’s get you dried off and warmed up. I don’t want you catching a cold!” Despite her rounding belly, she does the task herself, gently toweling him off. “There...that’s better. Here, we’ll go sit at the kotatsu and you can warm up!”

Despite Sasuke’s refusal, she makes a pot of tea anyway, serving him a cup if for nothing else than something warm to hold. “I’ll be right back, Sasuke-kun. You stay here and keep warm.”

Still timid, the boy only nods. For a long minute he’s left alone in the quiet, marveling at the peace in the house. But then, Hanako returns...and with her is a girl about his age.

“This is my daughter Hinata,” the mother explains, gently urging her forward. “I believe she’ll be in the Academy with you when you start! Hinata, this is Uchiha Sasuke. Do you remember him…? You’ve seen him once or twice, hm?”

Looking just as shy as Sasuke, Hinata manages a little bow. “H...hello, Sasuke-kun.”

“...hi.”

“I thought she could join us for tea.” Settling at one side of the kotatsu, Hanako smiles as her daughter joins them. And for a time, they sit in a peaceful quiet, Hanako giving small quips to try to urge them both into talking.

...and then there’s a pounding at the front door.

Immediately, Hanako tenses, rising despite the difficulty. And just in time, as Fugaku - ignoring the branch clan members attempting to waylay him - makes his way into the sitting room. A tense silence blooms.

“...Sasuke, we’re going home.”

“He’s not going...anywhere.” Without any further prompting, the mother lets her Byakugan flare, a warning hand held in a defensive position. Behind her, both children flinch back, huddling together instinctively.

“...are you really threatening me?”

“I’m warning you. I saw the bruise. And the tears. This boy will not be going anywhere with you, Uchiha Fugaku. I cannot in good conscience send him back where he was hurt.”

The tension builds until it threatens to smother them. Looking to Hanako, and then the several branch Hyūga behind him, Fugaku’s jaw clenches. “...I’ll be back in the morning,” he growls. “By then you’d better have grown some sense, woman.”

Rather than retort, Hanako watches him go. Then, to a branch Hyūga, she murmurs, “...go find Mikoto and Itachi. If they need shelter, bring them here. I’ll be damned before I let his foolishness get them hurt.”

“Hai.”

Once that’s settled, she softens and releases her kekkei genkai, turning somberly to the children. “...I’m sorry if that scared you,” she murmurs, kneeling on the floor and opening her arms. Hinata, without prompting, quickly snuggles up to her mother tearily.

Sasuke, wary for a moment...then breaks down and does the same.

The matriarch holds them close, petting their hair. “It’s all right…”

Twenty minutes later, the branch Hyūga returns...and in their wake are Mikoto and Itachi.

“Kāsan! Nīsan!”

“Hanako, thank the gods you found him,” Mikoto murmurs. “And thank you for -”

The other mother raises a hand. “...not another word about it tonight. I’ll have you put up in the guest quarters. You can stay as long as you need. Forgive the intrusion, but...I’ve heard the rumors…”

Mikoto shakes her head, holding her boys close. “I can’t blame you...surely the yelling’s been noticed by more than just our clan by now. Word spreads. I’m just thankful for a place to...retreat.”

At that, Hanako gives a somber smile. “You’ll always have it, my friend. For now...try to get some sleep. We’ll see what the morning brings. After the rain, the sun will return again.”

“...I hope so…”

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this isn't blatantly shippy, but more...a hint at it? The idea came to me foremost for the prompt. The ship is more in its beginning stages, but at least referenced a bit. Granted, this idea needs more time / development, but I'm rather limited on the former ^^;
> 
> That said, I don't actually headcanon Fugaku as abusive. He IS a bit of a poor father given his treatment of his sons, but...that's in an attempt to be a good leader and instigator of a revolution. Such conditions aren't the best for raising kids, sadly =/ But this is more an AU for if he DID take things too far, and Mikoto stood up to him. And Hanako too (the name I typically give Hinata and Hanabi's mother). 
> 
> Anywho, that's all the steam I've got for this piece! Be back later for my daily - thanks for reading!


End file.
